Portable Concrete Boring Machine

ABSTRACT

A portable boring machine for cutting holes in a cutting surface is provided. The portable boring machine includes a vacuum system to secure a front end of the portable boring machine to a cutting surface, a hydraulic boring sub-assembly, which includes a hole saw to cut holes in the cutting surface, a water cooling/lubrication system to provide cooling and/or lubrication to the hole saw during the cutting process, and a control system to control the operation of the portable boring machine. The portable boring machine also includes multiple power-driven wheels. The wheels are attached to a bottom portion of a frame and are powered by an engine, which is mounted within the frame.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/881,122 filed Jan. 18, 2007 which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a concrete drill and more specifically,to a portable concrete boring machine having a hole saw to cut circularholes in concrete.

2. Description of Related Art

When cutting circular holes in a concrete surface it is very importantthat the machine supporting the hole saw be stable and secure during thecutting process. Conventional concrete boring or core drilling machinesare typically bolted to the concrete surface to stabilize the machineduring the cutting process. One disadvantage to the conventional boringmachine is that it is very time consuming to bolt and unbolt the machineto and from the concrete surface. Another disadvantage is thatconventional boring machines are not portable. In other words,conventional boring machines require a separate external source to movethe machine from location to location, which again is very timeconsuming. Further, if there are space restrictions at the cuttinglocation it may be difficult if not impossible to maneuver the cuttingmachine along with the external transporting source into the cuttinglocation.

There have been several attempts to overcome the above mentioneddisadvantages. One, for example, is the concrete hole cutting machinedisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,874 to Faircloth. Faircloth discloses ahole cutting machine that is adapted to be connected to a front endloader. The front end loader transports the cutting machine fromlocation to location. Faircloth, however, still requires an externalsource (e.g. a front end loader) to transport the cutting machine fromlocation to location and therefore, does not solve the issue ofportability.

Another attempt to address the above mentioned disadvantages isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0112613 to McGivery. McGiverydiscloses a core cutting machine mounted to a back end of a truck. Thetruck is provided to provide stability to the core cutting machineduring the cutting process. The truck, however, is still an externalsource with a separate core cutting machine mounted to the truck bed.Further, McGivery does not lend itself to portability because the truckis rather large and is not adequate to maneuver in restricted spaces.Therefore, McGivery does not solve the issue of portability.

Thus, what is required is a portable boring machine that is easilytransported from location to location and can be easily maneuvered by anoperator without the need of an external source such as a front endloader, a truck, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect, the present invention overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages by providing portable boring machine for cuttingholes in a cutting surface that includes multiple power driven wheelsfor easy maneuverability. The portable boring machine also includes aframe with a pair of handles horizontally spaced apart and verticallyextending outward from an upper-rear portion of the frame, a vacuumsystem to secure a front end of the portable machine to the cuttingsurface, a hydraulic boring sub-assembly operatively attached to thefront end of the frame, whereby the hydraulic boring system has a boringhead, and a hole saw operatively attached to the boring head via arotary drive shaft, a water cooling/lubrication system to providecooling and/or lubrication to the hole saw, and an engine mounted withinthe frame to power to the multiple power driven wheels. To transport theportable boring machine to different cutting locations the operatoractivates the engine with a drive actuator located on an upper-rearportion of the frame between the handles. The operator then grasps thehandles and walks behind the portable boring machine to transport theportable boring machine.

Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a readingand understanding of the following detailed specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement ofparts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail inthis specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings thatform a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a first embodiment of a concreteboring machine in accordance with the present invention

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the rear of the concrete boringmachine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the concrete boring machine

FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of the concrete boring machine.

FIG. 5 is a close-up view of a lower front end portion of the concreteboring machine.

FIG. 6 is a close-up view of the control panel.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the concreteboring machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a front and rearperspective view respectively of a portable-concrete boring machine 10(hereinafter “boring machine”) in accordance with the present invention.The boring machine 10 includes a rectangular shaped frame 12, powerdriven wheels 14 attached to the bottom of the frame 12, an internalcombustion engine 16, a generator 18, a vacuum system, a hydraulicboring sub-assembly 22, a water cooling/lubrication system, and acontrol system.

The frame 12 is rectangular in shape and provides a mounting space forboth the engine 16 and the generator 18. A panel 26 is attached to eachside and to the rear of the frame 12 (a hydraulic tank is mounted in afront portion of the frame 12 and serves to enclose the front portion ofthe frame 12). A fuel tank 27 is mounted to a rear-top of the frame 12.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of handles 30 extend vertically in arearward direction from an upper portion of the frame 12. The handles 30are laterally spaced on either side of a rear portion of the frame 12and are generally parallel to one another. The handles 30 are used tomaneuver the boring machine 10 to a desired location.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the engine 16 and the generator 18 are mountedwithin the frame 12, and are therefore protected from outside elementsby the panels 26 and the hydraulic tank. The engine 16 is located nearthe rear of the boring machine 10 and it is attached directly via itspower output shaft to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump providespower to the wheels 14 to thereby assist the operator in transportingthe boring machine 10 from location to location. The hydraulic pump alsoprovides hydraulic power to the hydraulic boring sub-assembly 22, thehydraulic cylinder 48 and the machine's leveling system. The engine 16preferably comprises a gasoline engine and it may include a catalyticconverter 17 to allow operation indoors. The generator 18 is powered bythe engine 16 in a conventional manner using a polychain attached to apulley or sheeve mounted on the power output shaft of the engine 16. Thegenerator 18 is located near the front of the boring machine and it isused to electrically power the vacuum pump 28 and multiple electricaloutlets 34, which may include 110 v and/or 220 v outlets (see FIG. 6).The electrical outlets 34 may be used to power auxiliary hand tools,such as but not limited to, saws, work lights, a vacuum to pick upslurry, etc. The generator 18 is also used to provide power to thevacuum system, which secures the boring machine 10 in place duringoperation, as will be described further below.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the vacuum system includes a vacuum pump 28,a vacuum pad 36, and a vacuum hose 38, which connects the vacuum pump 28to the vacuum pad 36. As will be explained further below, the vacuumsystem secures the front end of the boring machine 10 to the ground soas to prevent movement of the boring machine 10 during operation. Oncethe front end of the boring machine 10 is secured to the cutting surfacea pair of leveling feet 40, which are mounted to the rear-bottom of theframe 12, are lowered to level the boring machine, as will be describedfurther below. In one embodiment the frame 22 may be carefullyconstructed of hollow tubing that is air tight, such that the frame canbe used as an accumulator for the vacuum generated by pump 28.Alternatively, a separate vacuum tank could be provided on the machine.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the hydraulic boring sub-assembly 22includes an elongated support frame 42 having a rectangularcross-section that is slidably secured to the front portion of theboring machine 10 and to a movable support plate 43. An elongated geartrack 44 (shown in FIG. 5) extends along one side of the support frame42 to allow a carriage 46 to travel vertically upward and downward. Thecarriage 46 may be any type of carriage known in the art, such as butnot limited to a roller carriage, a slider carriage, etc. The hydraulicboring sub-assembly 22 further includes a hydraulic tank 47, a hydrauliccylinder 48, a hydraulic gage 49 to measure the hydraulic pressure inthe hydraulic circuit, a boring head 50, a variable speed-hydraulictransmission 52, and a core bit or hole saw 54.

The hydraulic tank 47 is located in the front portion of the frame 12and extends from the bottom of the frame 12 to the top of the frame 12thereby serving to enclose the front portion of the frame 12. Thehydraulic cylinder 48 is attached to a support member 56 that extendsupward at an angle from the top of the support frame 42. Thus, thehydraulic cylinder 48 is fixedly secured to the support frame 42. Thehydraulic cylinder 48 includes a piston 58 that moves in a verticaldirection whereby a distal end of the piston 58 is fixedly attached tothe carriage 46. During operation of the boring machine 10 the piston58, when actuated, moves the carriage 46 vertically along the gear track44. The boring head 50 is fixedly attached to the carriage 46 andextends outward away from the boring machine 10. Thus, the boring head50 moves in unison with the carriage 46. The variable speed-hydraulictransmission 52 is attached to a top portion of the boring head 50 andincludes two hydraulic hoses 60 that attach the variable speed-hydraulictransmission 52 to the hydraulic pump, which is housed within the frame12. A rotary drive shaft 62, which is driven by the variablespeed-hydraulic transmission 52, extends downward from the boring head50. The hole saw 54 is removably mounted to a distal end of the rotarydrive shaft 62 and rotates with the rotary drive shaft 62. Operation ofthe hydraulic boring sub-assembly 22 will be described further below.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the water cooling/lubrication systemincludes a water tank 63, a connection valve 64, a water hose 66, and anon/off valve 68. The water tank 63 is mounted to the top of the frame 12near the front of the boring machine 10. The connection valve 64 ismounted to the top of the boring head 50 in line with the rotary driveshaft 62. The water hose 66 provides a connection from the water tank 63to the connection valve 64. During operation of the boring machine 10,the operator rotates the on/off valve to the ‘ON’ position to allowwater to flow through the water hose 66, through the connection valve64, and down to the hole saw 54 via the rotary drive shaft 62. The waterprovides cooling and lubrication to the hole saw 54 during the cuttingoperation. A water level gauge 70 is located on a side of the water tank63 (see FIG. 6) to allow the operator to monitor the water level duringoperation of the boring machine 10.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the control system controls the operation ofthe boring machine 10 and includes a control panel 72, which is locatedadjacent to the water tank 63. The control system is of the typecommonly known in the art and will not be described in further detail.The control panel 72 includes multiple pushbuttons and/or rotaryswitches to operate the boring machine 10. The pushbuttons and/or rotaryswitches include a drill up pushbutton 74 to raise the boring head 50, adrill down pushbutton 76 to lower the boring head 50, and a turbopushbutton 78, which when depressed simultaneously with either the drillup 74 or the drill down 76 pushbutton increases the travel rate of theboring head 50 by approximately ten times than the normal boring head 50travel rate. The control system also includes an auto down feature,which is actuated by an auto down switch 80. The auto down feature istypically actuated when the hole saw 54 is moving in a downwarddirection but not until after the hole saw 54 initially contacts acutting surface to begin the cutting process. Once actuated, the autodown feature automatically sustains the downward direction of the holesaw 54 without the need to manually press additional pushbuttons. Thecontrol panel 72 further includes a stand up pushbutton 82 tohydraulically raise the vacuum pad 36, a stand down pushbutton 84 tohydraulically lower the vacuum pad 36, a feet up pushbutton 86 tohydraulically raise the leveling feet 40, a feet down pushbutton 88 tohydraulically lower the leveling feet 40, a light pushbutton 90 tocontrol a strobe light 91 and/or a spot light on the boring machine 10,a water pump pushbutton 92 to control the operation of the watercooling/lubrication system, and a vacuum pump pushbutton 94 to controlthe operation of the vacuum pump 28. An emergency pushbutton 96 isprovided to stop the operation of the boring machine 10 in the event ofan emergency. In order to transport the boring machine 10 from onelocation to another the emergency stop button 96 must be in a pushed inposition. A control device in the form of a drive actuator 98 is locatedin between the handles 30 on an upper-rear portion of the frame 12. Thehydraulic drive actuator 98 is used to actuate the engine 16 to therebyprovide power to the wheels 14, in a manner commonly known in the art,in order to transport the boring machine 10 to different locations. Oncethe drive actuator 98 actuates the engine 16, the operator then graspsthe handles 30 and maneuvers the portable boring machine 10 to adifferent cutting location. In addition to a hydraulic driver for wheels14, it will be appreciated that a electric motor could be provided todrive such wheels 14.

Once the boring machine is positioned in a desired cutting location, theemergency stop pushbutton 96 must be in a pulled out position to allowoperation of the boring machine 10. The vacuum system is actuated viathe stand down pushbutton 84. At this time the support frame 42 andsupport plate 43, which are fixedly attached to each other, are actuatedvia a hydraulic cylinder 99 to slide in a vertical downward direction.The vacuum pad 36, which is mounted to an underside of the support plate43, is thereby lowered until it contacts the surface of the cuttingsurface. The vacuum pump pushbutton 94 is depressed to actuate thevacuum pump 28. The vacuum pump 28 draws a vacuum impulse via the vacuumhose 38 to secure the boring machine 10 in place. The vacuum systemdraws a vacuum using a vacuum impulse rather than drawing a vacuumslowly to ensure that the boring machine 10 is secured to the cuttingsurface in the event that the cutting surface contains cracks. The feetdown pushbutton 88 is depressed to hydraulically lower the leveling feet40 to level the boring machine 10. Leveling the boring machine 10 suchthat a longitudinal axis of the hole saw 54 is perpendicular to thecutting surface ensures that the finished hole is vertical. The drilldown pushbutton 76 is then depressed, which actuates the piston 58 inthe hydraulic cylinder 48 in a downward direction. The piston 58 lowersthe boring head 50 and hence the hole saw 54 toward the cutting surface.If necessary, the turbo pushbutton 78 may be depressed simultaneouslywith the drill down pushbutton 76 to increase the travel rate of theboring head 50, as explained above. Once the hole saw 54 has madecontact with the cutting surface the auto down switch 80 is rotated suchthat the auto down feature is actuated, as explained above. As required,the water system may be activated via the water pushbutton 92 to supplywater to the hole saw 54 for the purpose of providing cooling and/orlubrication to the hole saw 54 and cutting surface. Water flow may beprovided by gravity, or such flow may be enhanced by the addition of anelectric pump.

During the cutting process the piston 58 continues to move the boringhead 50 and hence the hole saw 54 in a downward direction. The boringhead 50 includes sensors capable of sensing the torque at the rotarydrive shaft 62. Thus, if the torque increases, which may indicate thepresence of steel reinforcing rods in the cutting surface, the downwardspeed of the boring head 50 can be reduced to prevent excessive wear tothe hole saw 54.

After the cutting process is complete, the process is reversed. First,auto down feature is deactivated by rotating the auto down switch 80 tothe “OFF” position. The drill up pushbutton 74 is depressed, whichactuates the piston 58 in an upward direction thereby raising the boringhead 50 and hence the hole saw 54 from the cutting surface. Once thehole saw 54 clears the cutting surface, the turbo pushbutton 78 may beused again to increase the travel rate of the boring head 50, asdescribed above. The water system may be deactivated via the waterpushbutton 92 any time after the hole saw 54 clears the cutting surface.The leveling feet 40 are raised via the feet up pushbutton 86 and thevacuum system is deactivated via the vacuum pump pushbutton 94 therebyreleasing the boring machine 10 from the cutting surface and the supportframe 42 and support plate 43 are raised such that the vacuum pad 36 isno longer in contact with the cutting surface. Finally, the emergencystop pushbutton 96 is depressed to a pushed in position to allow theoperator to transport the boring machine 10 to another drillinglocation.

Referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a secondembodiment of the boring machine 100. The second embodiment shown inFIG. 7 operates essentially the same as the first embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-6 but has a different configuration. The second embodimentincludes a frame 102 with a pair of handles 104, an engine 106 and agenerator 118 mounted within the frame 102, two water tanks 108, waterpumps 109 and a fuel tank 110 mounted on top of the frame 102.Consistent with the previous embodiment, the second embodiment has thegenerator 118 powered by the engine 106 using a polychain 119 attachedto a pulley 121 mounted on the engine's power output shaft. The engine106 preferably comprises a gasoline engine and it may include acatalytic converter 117 to allow operation indoors. The water tanks 108and fuel tank 110 are made from a suitable material known in the artsuch as plastic. In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6 the watertank and fuel tank were made from steel. The boring machine alsoincludes a hydraulic boring sub-assembly 112 with a hydraulic fluidsystem, a vacuum system and a water cooling system similar to the firstembodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6. The boring machine 100 may also includeadditional electrical outlets and auxiliary hydraulic connections ascompared to the first embodiment. The control system is similar to thecontrol system in the first embodiment but may include toggle switchesand/or pushbuttons. The control system may also include a toggle switchto switch the hydraulic fluid system between providing power to theengine to drive the wheels, providing power to the hole saw andproviding auxiliary power for the use of hand tools. The boring machinealso includes a strobe light 114 and a spot light 116 for safetypurposes. The control system may also include a tachometer to monitorthe speed of the hole saw during the cutting process.

It should be noted that the portable boring machine also includesadditional features not shown in the drawings. One such feature includesa storage area located within the enclosed frame for storing of handtools and other items. Another feature includes an auxiliary hydrauliccircuit that includes a hydraulic quick coupling device for attachingauxiliary hydraulic equipment such as a core drill, chain saw, cutoffsaw, etc.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described andillustrated, it is to be understood that these embodiments are providedby way of example only and that the invention is not to be construed asbeing limited but only by proper scope of the following claims.

1. A portable boring machine for cutting holes in a cutting surfacecomprising: a frame having a pair of handles horizontally spaced apartand vertically extending outward from an upper-rear portion of theframe; a vacuum system to secure a front end of the portable machine tothe cutting surface; a hydraulic boring sub-assembly operativelyattached to the front end of the frame, the hydraulic boring systemhaving a boring head, and a hole saw operatively attached to the boringhead via a rotary drive shaft; a water cooling/lubrication system toprovide cooling and/or lubrication to the hole saw; multiple powerdriven wheels operatively attached to a bottom of the frame; and anengine mounted within the frame to power to the multiple power-drivenwheels, wherein an operator activates the engine with a drive actuatorlocated on an upper-rear portion of the frame between the handles, andwherein the operator grasps the handles and walks behind the portableboring machine to transport the portable boring machine to differentcutting locations.
 2. The portable boring machine of claim 1, whereinthe water cooling/lubrication system includes a water tank, a waterpump, a connection valve, and a water hose connecting the water tank tothe connection valve, wherein the connection valve is operativelyconnected to the boring head such that the connection valve is in linewith the rotary drive shaft, and wherein water from the water tank flowsthrough the water hose, through the connection valve and down the rotarydrive shaft to the hole saw.
 3. The portable boring machine of claim 2,wherein the vacuum system includes a vacuum pump, a vacuum pad and avacuum hose to connect the vacuum pump to the vacuum pad, wherein thevacuum pad is located on an underside of a support plate, and whereinthe vacuum pump draws a vacuum impulse at the vacuum pad to secure thefront end of the boring machine to the cutting surface.
 4. The portableboring machine of claim 3 further comprising multiple leveling feetoperatively attached to a bottom-rear portion of the frame, wherein themultiple leveling feet are lowered to contact the cutting surface afterthe front end of the boring machine is secured to the cutting surface tothereby level the boring machine.
 5. The portable boring machine ofclaim 4, wherein the hydraulic boring sub-assembly further comprises ahydraulic cylinder having a piston and a variable speed-hydraulictransmission, wherein a distal end of the piston is operatively attachedto the boring head, wherein the piston, when actuated, moves the boringhead and the hole saw in a vertical direction, and wherein the variablespeed-hydraulic transmission, which is operatively attached to a topportion of the boring head, operates the rotary drive shaft.
 6. Theportable boring machine of claim 5, wherein the hydraulic boringsub-assembly further includes a support frame slidably attached to thefront end of the frame and an elongated gear track extending in avertical direction along a side of the support frame, and wherein theboring head travels along the elongated gear track via a carrier.
 7. Theportable boring machine of claim 6 further comprising a generator toprovide power to the vacuum system, the generator having electricaloutlets to provide auxiliary power to power operated hand held tools. 8.The portable boring machine of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic boringsub-assembly further comprises a hydraulic cylinder having a piston, avariable speed-hydraulic transmission, a support frame slidably attachedto a front portion of the frame, and an elongated gear track extendingvertically along a side of the support frame, wherein a distal end ofthe piston is operatively attached to the boring head, wherein thepiston, when actuated, moves the boring head in a vertical directionalong the elongated gear track, and wherein the variable speed-hydraulictransmission, which is operatively attached to a top portion of theboring head, operates the rotary drive shaft.
 9. The portable boringmachine of claim 8 further comprising a control system, wherein thecontrol system includes a turbo feature and wherein the turbo feature,when actuated simultaneously with the piston, increases the travel rateof the boring head along the elongated gear track.
 10. The portableboring machine of claim 9, wherein the control system further includesan auto down feature and wherein the auto down feature maintains thedownward motion of the piston during a cutting process.
 11. The portableboring machine of claim 10, wherein during the cutting process, thecontrol system senses the torque exerted by the rotary drive shaft viathe boring head and wherein as the torque increases the downward speedof the piston decreases to reduce excess wear to the hole saw.
 12. Amethod of operating a portable boring machine comprising the steps of:providing the portable boring machine with a frame having a pair ofhandles horizontally spaced apart and vertically extending outward awayfrom an upper-rear portion of the frame, multiple power driven wheelsoperatively attached to a bottom portion of the frame, an engine mountedwithin the frame to drive the multiple power driven wheels, and a holesaw operatively attached to a front end of the portable boring machine;actuating a vacuum system to secure a front end of the portable boringmachine to a cutting surface; lowering multiple leveling feet on arear-bottom portion of a frame to level the portable boring machine;lowering the hole saw via a hydraulic boring sub-assembly; actuating thehole saw to cut a hole in the cutting surface; raising the hole saw viathe hydraulic boring sub-assembly; de-actuating the hole saw; actuatingthe multiple power driven wheels via the engine; grasping the handles;and walking behind the portable boring machine to transport the portableboring machine to a different cutting location.
 13. The method of claim12, wherein prior to the step of raising the hole saw the method furthercomprises the step of actuating a water pump to provide water to thehole saw for cooling and/or lubrication purposes.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the step of lowering the hole saw further comprisesthe step of actuating a turbo feature to increase a vertical travelspeed of the hole saw.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein actuating thehole saw to cut a hole in the cutting surface further comprises thesteps of: actuating an auto down feature to automatically maintain adownward motion of the hole saw during the cutting process; and sensinga torque generated by the hole saw, wherein the downward speed of thehole saw is reduced if the torque increases.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the step of actuating a vacuum system to secure a front end ofthe portable boring machine to a cutting surface further comprises thesteps of: lowering a vacuum pad to contact the cutting surface;actuating a vacuum pump; and drawing a vacuum impulse at the vacuum padand the cutting surface to secure the front end of the portable boringmachine to the cutting surface.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein thestep of raising the hole saw further comprises the step of actuating theturbo feature to increase the vertical travel speed of the hole saw.